Fresh Tracks Enchants and Delights [PAX East Coverage]

I had the chance to sit down with the devs of Fresh Tracks at PAX East. What I found was a polished, unique rhythm game with an addictive gameplay loop and impressive soundtrack.

Fresh Tracks comes from Buffalo Buffalo, a game studio located in Vancouver, Canada. This is their first game. Inspired by Scandinavian folklore, this story features our heroine, Skaii, starting off skiing in a mythical but unspecified nordic setting. She ends up picking up a magical sword and catching the interest of various gods, who she must impress by defeating each of their musical challenges. The game features branching pathways similar to a roguelike (when asked about this the developer said they considered the game akin to a lite-roguelite).

Skaii is then given the choice between two different songs. Each presents a different difficulty level and random buff reward upon completion. It's from here the game starts. The game starts with a songlist from the Goddess of Pop, but other genres with their own lists do become available in time.

For me, Fresh Tracks was a challenging game. I was unable to succeed, even when playing the easiest song on the easiest difficulty. There are many actions to perform: Attacking with a sword, leaning left or right with the shoulder buttons, jumping, ducking... I couldn't quite get my brain to attune with what button did what. Skaii doesn’t start out with much health and damage from missing obstacles and enemies adds up fast. There is a way to heal, if players are able to time their hits correctly enough times, but I was simply not good enough to obtain that. This definitely seemed to be a problem specific to my particular skill level, as other players seemed to pick up the controls without issue. I think given more time I could have gotten the hang of it and started to progress. It was starting to click toward the end of my session.

That said, I had a ton of fun trying and failing. The game really does capture the feeling of skiing. Gameplay is a rush, an intense reflex-based experience that’s over as quickly as it begins. Players who were able to reach the end of the path faced the first boss, an angry god who favored rock music.

Most players wipe out on the first boss, but this is not a game meant to be beaten on the first go. Instead the game reveals itself as the player's skill level grows, unlocking more and more the deeper they go. And success earns a real reward. Defeating a god turns them into an ally that accompanies Skaii on her journey. For example, she starts out with a goddess who specializes in pop music, but if switched to the first boss, not only will the playthrough be influenced by his starting ability but the songs playing will swap out synth for guitars and sound more like a rock song.

A music-based game is only as good as the music included, and while Fresh Tracks is a hecking fun ride all on its own, this is where I was really sold on the game. The game has a spirited soundtrack that already features over 20 songs. While I couldn’t find any of the music anywhere to share outside the trailer, what I heard was a joy to listen to. I’m eagerly waiting for the chance to listen to the songs just as much as I’m waiting to play again.

Fresh Tracks is currently slated for an August 2025 release.

About Buffalo Buffalo Labs Inc.

Founded in Vancouver in 2021, Buffalo Buffalo is a future-forward game studio seeking to make immersive experiences that surprise and inspire. For more information, visit www.buffalobuffalo.ca.